Wednesday, April 12, 2006

NBA MVP Debate

I'll follow the crowd today and weigh in on the MVP debate for the National Basketball Association. Everyone and their favorite dog has an opinion on this and I'm no different.The front-runners seem to be (in no particular order) Steve Nash, Lebron James, Chauncey Billups, Elton Brand, Kobe Bryant, & Dwyane Wade. Also mentioned occasionally in the media are Sam Cassell, Tim Duncan, Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Dirk Nowitizki, & Carmelo Anthony.

If it was all up to me this is how it would go down:

-First he has to be from a team that has a legitimate shot at winning the championship. What's more valuable than being the man who will lead your team to a title? Some teams have done better than expected and are playoff bound. This doesn't mean they will be playing in the championship game. The Cavs, Clippers, Nets, Lakers, and Nuggets have had decent years. Although I like most of these teams, I don't think any of them will be taking the trophy home. This eliminates Kobe Bryant, Vince Carter, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, Sam Cassell, and reluctantly Elton Brand from my MVP ballot.

And yes I know my ballot is not real.

It should be though.

-And yes I realize anything could happen in the playoffs so maybe one of the teams I just lightly dissed will win it all and make me look like a bigger idiot than I already am.

I'll chance it. It wouldn't be that much of a drop for me.

-Second the MVP has to be the most valuable player on his own team. This cancels out Shawn Marion, who leads the Suns in most categories but in my mind is not as valuable as Steve Nash.

-Third, he has to be somebody my notoriously cheap self would be willing to pay to watch play if all TVs were suddenly taken away by George Bush's secret police and I actually had to leave my living room.Chauncey Billups, Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitizki, and Steve Nash please take a seat.

-That leaves just one guy standing. Dwyane Wade. He's my pick for MVP.The odds favor the Pistons to represent the East but you have to say that the Heat have a legitimate shot at it. Plus he's been the main man for the Heat for two years running even with Shaq on the team. I think he is along with Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, and Tim Duncan, one of the 4 best players in the league. And other than Lebron, Kobe and possibly Vince Carter, Dwayne Wade is one of only 4 guys I would actually fork out money to see play. He fits all my criteria.

So there you have it. This year's MVP. I'm a genuis. Well, maybe not a genius, but I can ride a bike and I like to whistle. That's something.